Sunday Snippet: Rise and Shine

Ugh. A long week again. At least it was more about recovery than ongoing crises. Had a flurry of work projects come in and I'm glad to have some new stuff to dive into.

Had a short week of television viewing. I started with The Brokenwood Mysteries and quite enjoyed the episode, which featured sharks and spiders and I'm not a huge fans of either so there's that.

Finished up an episode of Blue Heelers and started another one. I'm kind of amazed how themes from almost twenty years ago are even more prevalent today. The episode focuses on colonization and theft of indigenous artifacts. Very interesting.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness. I remembered bits of this one but not all of it. Should finish up the second part this week.

Caught the second to last arc of season 18 of Classic Who. The Master has returned and I'm pretty sure he'll be then end of Four. Sometimes I like not remembering how and when the regenerations occur.

Finished up UFO Witness and enjoyed the series overall. I'll be starting a new series this week but haven't decided what it'll be yet.

Watched two more episodes of The Muppet Show. Helen Reddy and Harry Belefonte were the guest stars. I really enjoyed Harry's episode.

Started a rewatch of Prime Suspect. I'd forgotten how thoroughly asshattish the men were toward Jane in the early seasons. I wanted to kick all of them in the balls.

Finished out the week with Peak Practice. Can't say I'm a big fan of Will's lady friend but I can't quite put a finger on why I'm not fond of her. Overall a good episode.

That's pretty much it for this week. Tonight's post is from Rise and Shine, a novella where a flirtation might end but a romance could begin.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Abram Purdy sees the same barista, Whitney Boone, every day of the week. She always knows exactly what he needs to get his day started. He runs into her on a Saturday jog and discovers she's accepting a teaching position at the local university and Abram decides to see if she'll still make his morning coffee—at his place.

And a snippety peek…

Abram locked his front door and started for his car.

Madelyn Gamber called from her stoop. "Where are you off to, Abram?" She had a bucket of green beans sitting on the lower step and her nimble fingers snapped the ends off each bean.

Abram pulled the passenger door open. "I'm meeting a client at their overseas office. Big problems." That should've been solved the last time he'd been there.

Madelyn snorted. "You ever think your client sits around and thinks this stuff up?" She gave him a knowing look.

Abram laughed. "Honestly, I'm sure he does. He's got a driving need to micromanage everything and when it's all going smoothly he creates chaos so he's got more to control." And he didn't pay Abram enough for the circus sideshow … and he paid Abram a lot.

Madelyn moved the bucket aside and stood up. "This is your fourth trip in six months. I thought you said you were slowing down."

He chuckled. "I tried. Am trying. Just need finish up with this one problem-creating client I'm under contract with." Six more months left then he'd cut the guy loose.

Madelyn smirked. "Makes you glad you don't have any crazy uncles living nearby, doesn't it?" She grabbed the bucket and started up the steps.

Abram rolled his eyes. "Definitely." He tucked his case in the front seat. "I'll see you when I get back."

She waved over her shoulder and entered her house.

Abram walked around and slid behind the wheel. One of the big reasons he'd avoided starting anything resembling a relationship—aside from a messy divorce several years ago—had to do with the crazy travel schedule he'd had. No guarantees he'd be around and he didn't think it would be fair to the other person. His thoughts went to Whitney. She'd be an exception he could make … she totally enjoyed his crazy-uncle stories.

Abram has a solid appreciation for Madelyn because she's so down to earth and having her as a problem-free neighbor is worth its weight in gold.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Rescue Me

Wow, another rough week on the home front. My middle kiddo is really struggling right now and I hate not being able to help him even though he's an adult. He's really tired of landing in the emergency department but we might be getting closer to figuring out what's going on with him. A few specialist appointments in September might help even more.

Didn't get as much television viewed but had a decent amount nonetheless. Started out with The Brokenwood Mysteries and thoroughly enjoyed the episode. I really like seeing previous characters in their recurring roles.

Finished up Silent Witness's second episode and don't remember watching it during my first viewing. Glad I got to see it.

Watched an arc of Classic Who and should be finished up with the season eighteen soon. I think it might be the last one for Four.

Got another episode of UFO Witness viewed and rather enjoyed this one. Still feels staged but I liked the deep dive into whether there's a secret underground base of operations for aliens.

Caught two episodes of The Muppet Show with Raquel Welch and James Coco as the guest stars. About halfway through season three and looking forward to more.

Finished out McCartney 3, 2, 1 and would love to see more. So many great moments and songs in this brief look into Paul McCartney's journey as a musician.

Watched another episode of Peak Practice and ended up liking it a lot. Will can be such a prat sometimes but I like that about his character.

Enjoyed another lesson on Master Class. LeVar Burton focused on reading to children and interacting with them about the source material. Very interesting!

Started Inside the Episodes: The Witcher and loved going back to revisit the first episode. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

Caught another episode of New Rugrats and loved it. I really enjoy the updated version of this show.

Finishing out the week with Chicago Med and it's a heatwave episode. I'm totally feeling that this week. It got hot again.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Rescue Me, a novella that has the characters surviving a crazy-busy day and looking forward to a sexy anniversary celebration.

Here's the mini-blurb:

After twenty-four hours of nonstop runs in two busy station houses, Skylar Darns and Hayes Parrison, two extremely good paramedics, are ready to throw in the towel and have someone rescue them. The one saving grace? They spend the day planning their anniversary celebration—one they may be too exhausted to attend.

And a snippety peek…

Hayes wrapped up the fifth call of the day. "Going for a record, I think."

On the way out to the rig, he bumped into Kevin Wayne, one of the ED doctors.

Dr. Wayne lifted his chin. "Heard you guys have been busy today."

Hayes rolled his eyes. "You heard right. It's been nonstop since we logged on shift." He pushed the cot over to the ambulance.

Kevin followed. "It's been quiet lately. We're probably overdue for a full-on fright night." He propped a shoulder against the metal surface of the vehicle.

Hayes shrugged. "Fright night without a full moon? Not sure I want to see what that looks like." The running joke about calls increasing on the monthly lunar event often proved accurate.

Wayne laughed and held up his hands. "Yeah, same. Hence the reason I'm preparing for the worst." He pushed away from the rig and shook his head. "I'm headed in … I'm sure I'll see you in the near future."

Hayes chuckled and finished loading the cot. He liked Kevin and appreciated the friendly exchange. "Took some time to get there." Mainly because Wayne happened to be Skylar's ex—fly in the ointment of an almost perfect beginning.

Two years ago, Hayes got a two by four to the gut when he brought a patient in and bumped into Skylar. She flashed a bright smile and waved. She'd been on his mind since their steamy kiss a week prior.

He handed off the patient and strolled back out into the corridor headed for the nurses' station. He stopped short when Kevin came up behind Skylar and wrapped his arms around her waist, his lips nuzzling her neck. Her eyes widened and a second later her gaze met Hayes's.

Guilt reflected back in his direction. She's seeing someone. It figures. Angry and disappointed, he turned and left the hospital, climbing in the back of the rig to check supplies.

Grabbing the inventory board, he slapped it against his leg. "Another woman too good to be true." With terse movements and less than gentle handling of the equipment, he ran down the checklist.

The image of Skylar and Doctor Wayne popped up in his mind again. He squeezed the IV bags between his fists. Why did she even meet me last week?

A throat cleared behind him. "Uh, just guessing here, but I assume it's my neck you're feeling between your fingers right now?"

He swung his gaze sideways. "More like my own. For being stupid enough to think I had a shot with you." He tossed the bags back into their designated spot.

Skylar stepped up into the back. "I realize I'm entering at my own risk here, but we should talk." She dropped down onto the bench seat.

Hayes snorted. "You're fine. All the sharps objects are safely stored." He pulled the seat down on the captian's chair and perched on the edge. "The worst I could do would be to restrain you with a five-point harness."

Skylar's eyes widened. "Kinky. I'll file that one away for later."

Hayes shook his head. "Don't bother. Call me old-fashioned but I'm not one to share." He huffed out a breath. "I'm selfish that way."

Skylar leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "To be frank, I'm not much into sharing either. And I'm not a fan of two-timing men. Doctor Wayne has been gone and only returned today. As in literally just got back when you saw us." She met his gaze. "I'm meeting him later to let him know I'm interested in someone else—that would be you—even if you'd rather not speak to me again." She glanced away. "That kiss we shared rocked my world in a way Kevin's never has."

So she didn't lead me on. He wanted to kiss her but respected the fact she needed to be free from entanglements first. Instead, he slid down to his knees in front of her.

He cupped her face with one hand. "I think I'll be talking to you a lot in the near future." He waggled his eyebrows. "What are you doing tomorrow?"

She laughed. "Hopefully making out with you." She put her palm over his for a moment then eased off the bench. "I'll call you."

And she had … the next day after she'd explained things to Dr. Wayne. Kevin took the news well but stayed cool toward Hayes for several weeks. Not that Hayes blamed the guy. Hard to be friendly to the new man in Skylar's life.

But … Kevin bounced back with a sweet-natured radiologist and they were still together.

Closing the doors to the ambulance, Hayes logged back on for calls. Dispatch immediately responded with an emergency at the car dealership three blocks over. Hayes whistled for his partner and slid behind the wheel of the rig.

"Off to call number six."

This one has been so much fun to write. Skylar and Hayes are a great couple and I love writing an established romance with interesting conflicts.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Reflex Reaction

Ugh. Had a rough week in general. My work project is coming along nicely but we had storms blow through and lost power a couple of times, which kind of harshed my vibe in a big way.

I got less television viewed but I did get to finish out the second season of the Passionflix original Driven. Man … what an ending. I'm truly excited for season three next year.

I did catch another episode of New Rugrats. I'm thoroughly enjoying this show and I'll state for the record that I hope there will be another season. So much fun.

Watched a full episode of Chicago Med and started another one. I'm not sure about the new head of Rhodes's department but their interactions are very interesting.

Got another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries out of the way and one of my favorite things about this show is how we see some familiar faces from other episodes pop up. I really like that, especially since they were suspects before in a different case. Very cool.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness. Interesting concept on this one and I vaguely remember bits and pieces from the episodes but can't remember how things got resolved. I'll look forward to seeing the second part.

Enjoyed another arc of Classic Who. Interesting concept and the resolution ended up being something I didn't expect. Hope to start a new arc this week.

Caught another episode of UFO Witness and rather enjoyed it. This one had a regression so an abductee could maybe remember what happened to him. Ended up being pretty interesting to watch.

Watched two episodes of The Muppet Show with Liberace and Marisa Berenson as the guest stars. Enjoyed both.

Still loving McCartney 3, 2, 1. I always end up being blown away by something every episode. It's also a lot of fun to watch Paul pick up an instrument and play or see him sing along at the mixing board. Love this show.

Enjoyed another Master Class with LeVar Burton. This lesson focused on the imagination being our superpower. I love listening to LeVar talk about storytelling.

Started an episode of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and … well … I didn't finish it. I really enjoy most of the characters, especially Hilda and Ambrose, Doctor Cee, Theo, Harvey, and Roz. I like Nick a lot. Even the weird sisters are often entertaining. But it really bugs me how Sabrina started out being decent at communication and now she massively sucks at it. The whole asking for advice then doing the exact opposite—without a really good reason other than it's what she wants to do—is starting to annoy me enough to stop watching for now. I might come back to the show eventually but there are other things on Netflix I'd like to get to so Sabrina can wait for bit.

Watched another episode of Star Trek: Discovery. Man. I'm starting to really love this show. There's a lot of nuance, which I enjoy and I like trying to figure out if Lorca is an asshole or a genius … or both. Michael intrigues me to no end. I love mix of Vulcan logic with human foibles. She's such a cool character.

That's pretty much it for the weekly viewing update. Tonight's post is from Reflex Reaction, a novella that features a messy reunion between two characters and the hard road they follow to work things out.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Rory Crame longs for more than her small hometown can provide. She escapes, leaving her childhood sweetheart, Gib Larrison, behind. Seven years later she returns, older and wiser, with a better appreciation for what she walked away from—especially Gib, who doesn't seem at all interested in rekindling their romance.

And a snippety peek…

Gib Larrison took the shortcut from the state route through the beginning of the business district that would take him uptown. "I hate running late for a staff meetings." But he's had a breakthrough with one of his patients. "Even if it made her appointment run long."

He drove by the old service station and did a double take. The realtor sign no longer listed the place for sale, instead proudly displaying its sold status.

"I wonder who bought the old place?" Good to see the rejuvenation incentives bringing some life back to this part of the city.

The college town used to have a mix of industrial professions along with the academia-related work, but they'd gone through a rough five years with three of five outlying factories shutting down. A shift from those factory jobs to some touristy businesses had started coming in.

Gib's inner voice snarked. "Someone once told you the town didn't offer much once the factories started pulling up stakes."

Gib snorted. "Yeah, well, she might have been right, but we're bouncing back. If she'd stuck around, she'd see the downtime didn't last long." And he wouldn't get sucked back into a rewind of the past.

Reliving those memories had kept him from moving forward way too long. He finally got back out and into the dating game. No easy feat when he refused to go the social media-app route. He preferred face-to-face introductions. Reading people came with his job as a physical therapist. So much time saved by gauging interest in-person rather than sifting through online profiles, which tended to be misleading at best.

He huffed out a breath. "Probably why I've been with less than half a dozen women in four years." He had plenty of opportunity—if he wanted to date patients, which he shied away from.

And, hell, he'd admit being gun shy. He'd his future planned, had the person he wanted to spend it with. Too bad she didn't want the same thing. Rory Crame struck a match and lit fire to goals and dreams. She left him standing in cinder ash wondering what the hell to do next.

"Damn you, Rory." Taking the turnoff for the medical complex, he headed for the hospital parking lot.

He couldn't count the number of times he'd said those three words over the last seven years, usually after something or someone reminded him of her. Finishing his physical therapy graduate program gave him a reprieve, but building his practice and reputation put him into contact with people who knew them as a couple. And they were all curious about how he'd moved on.

"More like whether I moved on."

He'd put himself out there again. But he still struggled. Rory burned the bridge—he didn't trust anyone of the opposite sex for a long time. Not after Rory—

His grip tightened on the steering wheel. "Nope. I don't go there anymore." A therapist he worked with gave him tools to cope with the betrayal and he'd be fine.

A knock on his window gave him a jolt. Mava, a pretty nurse from one of the ortho doc's offices stood next to his car. He put the window down and quirked a brow.

She tilted her head. "Are you okay?" A note of concern entered her gaze.

Gib lifted his chin. "Yeah, I'm good. Running late, obviously." He cut the engine.

She smiled. "They haven't started yet. Dr. Osgood had an emergency consult. He's on his way."

Gib rolled the window up and got out. "My last appointment ran over. Did they send you to find me?" He shut the door and leaned against the car.

She laughed and blushed a little. "No, not really. I came to hopefully catch you on the way in." She leaned in and lowered her voice. "Are we still on for tonight?"

He flashed a smile. "Absolutely. I'm looking forward to trying your cooking."

She grinned. "Terrific. I'm excited to have you over."

They walked into the medical complex and headed for the conference room. Mava took her spot at the table and Gib went to get some bottled water. The reminder of his date with her did a lot to dispel his maudlin memories of Rory.

He liked Mava a lot. He'd moved slowly with Mava—coffee, brunch, a pops concert, and a few nice dinners at two different restaurants. Then they had an evening in where she put the moves on him. They'd spent the night together at his place and he enjoyed waking up with her.

As for more … maybe. He'd been feeling an urge to settle down but he'd had that notion before. With Rory. He didn't trust his decision-making skills when it came to women. Not anymore.

Doctor Osgood finally arrived and Gib shifted his focus to work. Taking a seat across from Mava, he sent a quick grin her way. No need to rush anything but he looked forward to having dinner with her tonight.

This is probably the opening story to a three-book series. Two of my side characters are being very vocal about wanting their own features.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Reality Bytes

Whew. It's been a week. Had another trip to the emergency department with a family member and, thankfully, things seem to be okay and we're getting closer to having some answers.

Had an okay week of television viewing, mainly because my brain was kind of scattered all over the place. Started out with watching the behind the scenes and episode breakdowns for Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries. Thoroughly enjoyed both.

Caught both episodes of a Silent Witness two-parter. This is one I kind of remembered and I ended up liking it a lot. Some cool intrigue mixed with the science.

Enjoyed two more arcs of Classic Who. I believe there will be a new companion joining the crew but I'm not sure how soon that happens.

Watched two more episodes of UFO Witness. This one isn't nearly as entertaining as the lost evidence series but I'll finish it out.

Caught four episodes of The Muppet Show. Pearl Bailey, Jean Stapleton, Loretta Lynn and Alice Cooper were the guest stars. I'd forgotten about the Alice episode and really enjoyed watching it again.

Enjoyed two more episodes of McCartney 3, 2, 1. It's so cool to watch the breakdown of how many happy accidents shaped the sound of Paul's career.

Watched two more Master Class lessons with LeVar Burton. The first was a case study of Roots and how that story impacted so many. The second was about the importance of the oral storytelling tradition. I'm so glad I gave this series of lessons a try.

Got two more episodes of Peak Practice viewed. I didn't finish the second episode, mainly because one of the characters annoyed me so much I couldn't watch it. I'll pick back up with the next one and see if I missed anything important.

Caught another full episodes of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and I'm almost finished with another one. I'm sort of on the fence with this show right now. I literally hate Blackwood with a passion and I'm close to saying I'm done because I can't stand him.

Enjoyed another episode of Star Trek: Discovery. I gotta say I'm impressed with the narrative so far. There's some serious intrigue I'm enjoying along with a mix of new concepts that I'm fascinated with. Lorca is compelling to watch.

Watched another episode of Chicago Med. I'm enjoying the second season a lot and I might have to go look up the crossover episodes again.

Caught another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. I really love this show. I switched to a different streaming provider and should be able to continue the second season without a delay.

I'll probably finish out the week with another episode of New Rugrats and another Chicago Med. I'll discuss those next week.

That's it for television recaps. Tonight's post is from Reality Bytes, a sexy short where the characters are involved in a covert romance and want to go public.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Libby Cowl and Bourne Levison, on-air hosts for the web series, Reality Bytes, snark and snap at each other on screen. But when the cameras aren't rolling, they're all about the hot and sexy, something their producer is not happy about.

And a snippety peek…

He took her hand and squeezed. He had a solid idea why she'd gone grouchy on them. I left without saying good-bye. And, dammit, he couldn't really get into what pissed her off. Not when they were miked up and the team could hear anything they said. But he wanted to be supportive. Especially since he didn't doubt he'd made her angry.

His thumb stroked over her wrist, the best way he could communicate an apology.

She wrapped her fingers with his and they enjoyed a companionable five minutes before Libby gently extracted her hand from his and inhaled deeply.

She called for Les. "Okay. Let's get this done."

The spots came back on and they finished the segment.

Libby signed off with a hot-button statement. "Sometimes I wonder how men can be so painfully stupid."

Bourne got the last word the episode. "My dear, Libby, generations of our predecessors have made it easy for us to be that way. We need more women to call us on our idiocy and show us the way."

Les rolled his eyes. "Cut!" He motioned for the crew to kill the lights.

Libby laughed. "Oh, man. We're going to get roasted in the comments." She removed her mike and made her way around the desk.

Bourne smirked. "Had to keep the momentum going from yesterday's frenzy." He stayed behind the desk, keeping some distance between them.

No doubt they'd have to hash some things out later.

Les trotted over, giving Libby a concerned glance. "How's the head?"

Libby shrugged. "I'll live." She smoothed a crease from her blue sheath dress.

Les lifted his chin. "Thought we might do some remote filming today. You up for it?"

Libby shook her head. "Not today. I've got a family thing I have to do this afternoon."

Les flicked his gaze toward Bourne. "What about you?"

Bourne nodded. "Sure, I can stick around … unless I can talk Libby into surfing with me later." He'd forgotten she mentioned something about the annual Cowl family conference.

Then again, he shouldn't know about it either.

Libby shot him an odd, confused look.

Bourne's lips kicked upward. "Nothing like the sound of waves rolling in to cure a headache." He waggled his eyebrows for emphasis.

Libby huffed out a breath. "Right, um, let me get back to you on that one." She rolled her eyes, showing late meant never.

Bourne laughed and lifted a shoulder. "No worries. Drive safe to your family thing."

She grabbed her purse and draped the strap over her shoulder. "Will do." She shot Les a quick look. "I'll do a remote shoot next week if that works for you."

Les waved her off and Bourne's gaze tracked her leaving the studio. Blue looked really great on her. Especially lingerie.

Les snapped his fingers. "Quit imagining her in a bikini. I swear, you two need to get over the whole fantasy thing you have for each other."

Bourne sent Les a hard look. "There's a surefire way to accomplish that."

Les held up his hands. "No way. Uh-uh. You two are not hooking up. We're on the verge of going up to the next level with some serious financial backing. No one wants a happy couple on the air."

Bourne snorted. "You're wrong about that, Les. It's not about being a couple or being adversaries. It's the chemistry. And Libby and I have that by the bucket." Why the hell did he have to explain this to his producer?

Les rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, sex alters the chemistry. Now isn't the time to test your theory."

Bourne almost argued but remembered the nonexistent headache. A situation he'd caused. Yet, they still managed to shoot their segment and give their fans something to talk about.

He shrugged. "Whatever you say." A strong need to do something hit and he changed the subject. "What did you have in mind for the remotes?"

I've got this one close to being finished. I still need to iron out some rough scenes and polish it up but I'm excited to see this one so close to being done.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Read Between the Lines

So … I can't believe it's already August. I'm kind of not ready for the summer to be waning down and fall to gear up. Because once fall hits, the holidays are around the corner and I'm not quite ready for that yet. LOL

Had a decent week of watching television again. I finished up the last two episodes of Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries. They were set around the holidays but the Christmas one only hinted about the season. The finale took place on New Year's Eve and I loved it. LOVED IT!! Even Percy the Putz didn't annoy me overmuch. And Peregrine and James are kind of back on track and that makes me very happy. I'm very much looking forward to a third series and crossing my fingers that it happens.

Caught both episodes of Silent Witness's season twelve opener. I should have remembered these but I didn't. Enjoyed the cases and look forward to more. Twelve is a little longer than usual so there's that, too.

Finished up season seventeen of Classic Who and started season eighteen. I'd forgotten Four got a different scarf but rediscovered that fact in the first arc of eighteen. I like the first one the best.

Watched two more episodes of UFO Witness. These episodes feel a little staged but they're interesting. I'll finish out and see where it ends up.

Started season three of The Muppet Show and got four episodes watched. The guest stars were Rita Coolidge and Kris Kristofferson, Leo Sayer, Roy Clark, and Gilda Radner. I like the small changes to the opening and the show set-up. Looking forward to more.

Began a new documentary series with McCartney 3, 2, 1. I watched two episodes and loved both of them. I'm excited to see the rest because it's not focused only on the Beatles. It looks like we'll see a full scope of McCartney's music.

Caught two more Peak Practice episodes. So far, season four is pretty solid. I'll look forward to seeing the rest of the season.

Was able to catch two more Master Class lessons with LeVar Burton. He spoke about authentic storytelling and connecting with your audience. I got some good information from both lessons. I also enjoy listening to him speak; he's very eloquent without being stuffy.

Ended up watching two episodes of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. I thoroughly loved the Doctor Cerebus episode and I'm going to keep all the scenarios in mind for later seasons. I have a feeling several easter eggs were dropped in that one. Not as much of a fan of the dark wedding episode. I absolutely loathe Blackwood and I'm hoping it's not going to become a case where my dislike of him ruins the show like it did with Hiram and Riverdale. I literally can't watch any scene he's in without hating it.

Watched two episodes of The Brokenwood Mysteries. Finished up the first season and started the second. Nice to see and learn a little more about Breen. This show is just quirky enough to really hold my interest. I got annoyed with one of the detectives in the finale, but I'll reserve judgment because I love her otherwise.

Caught the second episode of Star Trek: Discovery. It went in a direction I totally didn't expect but I'm down for being surprised. So far, I'm enjoying the show and look forward to a redemption arc for Michael.

Finished up season one of Chicago Med and truly enjoyed the finale. Colin Donnell continues to be amazing to watch. I loved him in Arrow and really enjoy him in Med. The opening episode of season two is very entertaining.

Loved Passionflix's season two episode of Driven. I'm thrilled there are two more eps to watch and another season to follow.

Last but not least, I got another episode of New Rugrats watched and I have to admit I love the new version. Definitely not the same as the classic version but the updates are spot on and fun to watch.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Read Between the Lines, a novella where a letter sparks a romance between the characters.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Lexa Bode finds a letter Kers Jarvis wrote to his father at the tender age of seven. Her heart breaks for the handsome firefighter. The missive covers so much, but the young Kers leaves a lot unsaid, things his old man wouldn't see, but Lexa does—she can't miss it, she considers subtext her second language.

And a snippety peek…

Kers Jarvis sat outside Station Four drumming his fingers on the steering wheel of his car. "Will he see me today or tell his admin he's too busy?" A toss-up either way but probably the latter.

The whole making an effort with his dad had been the last thing Kers promised his mom. Why Carrie Maxwell thought her ex-husband would fall in with that idea, Kers truly didn't know. But she'd been obsessed in her final days, extracting the reluctant vow from her son.

Kers sighed. "Barely fifty and not yet done with life." Then again, she'd lived as she wanted to.

She raised Kers, enjoyed her teaching career, and stayed single until her passing from cancer. Her biggest regret had been an affair—the reason she and his dad split right before Kers's fifth birthday—not long before Kers came along. The long-standing distance between father and son stemmed from Kent thinking someone else fathered Kers. His dad all but abandoned him and Kers never understood why until his mom came clean when Kers hit high school.

A DNA test proved Kent to be Kers's father but, by then, his dad couldn't reconcile being so wrong. He tried for a while, but by the time Kers hit ten, Kent pretty much sent a card with cash at birthdays and Christmas. For the longest time, Kers would've traded those for time with the old man, especially after he joined the fire department.

Not that being in the same profession had made much of a difference.

Kers got out of his car and headed toward the station. With his mom gone, he didn't know why he bothered. She'd never know if the men didn't find some common ground.

Pulling the door open, he muttered. "A promise is a promise."

He nodded a greeting to anyone he passed on the way to his dad's office. Entered the space and frowned. His dad's admin didn't sit behind the desk like she usually did. But the door to the inner office stood open so Kers walked over and rapped on the jamb.

Kent glanced up, looking less than thrilled at the interruption. "Kers. Why are you here?"

Kers bit back a sigh. Happy to see you too, Dad.

Kent cleared his throat. "Did you need something?" He shuffled three files on his desk.

Kers shook his head. "No, Dad. I dropped by to see if you wanted to grab some dinner or maybe take in a ball game this week." They used to go to day games on Kent's off-shift days.

Kent blustered. "Don't really have time for baseball anymore, Kers. And I've been added to the committee reviewing the bids for a new smoke house so dinner's out." He motioned to the folders littering the surface in front of him. "I should get back to it."

Kers grunted. "Right. No problem. Thanks for the time, chief." He pushed away from the jamb and closed the door. "Asshole."

A brief gasp drew his attention and he glanced up to kind his dad's admin staring, wide-eyed. Kers didn't like the kick of guilt worming its way inside him. But he'd be damned if he apologized.

Lexa's mouth thinned for a moment before she gave him an overly bright smile and made her way to his side. "I realize he's your dad but we've got committee members dropping in all the time. If they hear you call the chief an asshole, it's not going to do much for your career." She kept her voice even and pitched low.

He opened his mouth to respond, but he didn't get a chance.

She held up her hand. "Before you tell me it's none of my business, I know it's not. But taking a big step back and maybe looking at him from a regular-person lens might give you a little perspective."

Kers frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?" What the hell is a regular-person lens?

Lexa gave him a level stare. "He's the battalion chief of the second busiest house in the city and got roped into this review process because the esteemed deputy commissioner claimed he couldn't manage double duty." To her credit, she lowered her voice again when talking about DC Gray while she directed him back out into the hallway.

Kers arched a brow. "So I shouldn't take the chief's surly mood personally."

She lifted a shoulder and paused inside the doorway. "No one else around here is, but you do what you need to." She turned and reentered the office, closing the door behind her.

Kers huffed out a laugh. "I think that's the nicest way anyone has ever handed me my ass."

He strolled out of the station and back to his car.

After sliding behind the wheel, he chuckled. "I like the way she rolls." And he'd take her advice and not get all pissed off at his dad.

I really like where this story is headed and how Lexa and Kers end up falling for each other.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin